Product Description

He became a myth in his own lifetime and an international martyr-figure upon his death; he was a revolutionary fighter, a military strategist, a social philosopher, an economist, a medical doctor, and a friend and confidant of Fidel Castro. Che Guevara's dream was an epic one - to unite Latin America and the rest of the developing world through armed revolution, and to end once and for all the poverty, injustice and petty nationalisms that had bled it for centuries. In the end, Che failed in his quest but he is recognized as that one-in-a-million personality who just might have pulled it off. "Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life" shuttles between the revolutionary capitals of Havana and Algiers to the battlegrounds of Bolivia and the Congo; from the halls of power in Moscow and Washington to the exile havens of Miami, Mexico and Guatemala, in a gripping tale of revolution, international intrigue and covert operations. It has an epic sweep as it evokes an era of tumultuous change, describing major events like the Bay of Pigs invasion, the October Missile crisis and Kennedy's assassination. Among its cast of characters are scores of historic personalities including Castro, Kennedy, Kruschev, Mao Tse-tung, Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, to name but a few. Jon Lee Anderson has been given unprecedented access to the Cuban Government's archives and has had total co-operation from Che's widow, Aleida March, who has never previously spoken for publication about her late husband. He has obtained hitherto unpublished documents, including several of Che's personal diaries and, in the course of his research, broke open a twenty-eight-year-old mystery - the whereabouts of Che's body in Bolivia. There is no doubt that this monumental work will stand as the definitive portrait of one of the twentieth century's most fascinating, yet largely unexplored, historical figures.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4986 in Books
• Published on: 1997-10-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 832 pages

From the Back Cover
He became a myth in his own lifetime and an international martyr-figure upon his death; he was a revolutionary fighter, a military strategist, a social philosopher, an economist, a medical doctor and a friend and confidant of Fidel Castro. Che Guevara's dream was an epic one - to unite Latin America and the rest of the developing world through armed revolution, and to end once and for all the poverty, injustice and petty nationalisms that had bled it for centuries. Che drove himself with fanatical zeal, and in the end he paid the ultimate price for his cause.

Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life shuttles between the revolutionary capitals of Havana and Algiers to the battlegrounds of Bolivia and the Congo; from the halls of power in Moscow and Washington to the exile havens of Miami, Mexico and Guatemala, in a gripping tale of revolution, international intrigue and covert operations. It has an epic sweep as it evokes an era of tumultuous change, of a worldwide super-power struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union, manifesting itself in numerous 'little wars' across the globe.

Jon Lee Anderson has been given unprecedented access to the Cuban Government's archives and has had total co-operation from Che's widow, Aleida March, who has never previously spoken for publication about her late husband. He has obtained hitherto unpublished documents, including several of Che's personal diaries and, in the course of his research, broke open a twenty-eight-year-old mystery - the whereabouts of Che's body in Bolivia. There is no doubt that this monumental work will stand as the definitive portrait of one of the twentieth century's most fascinating, yet largely unexplored, historical figures.

About the Author
Jon Lee Anderson
Jon Lee Anderson is an American journalist and writer. His first book Guerillas was published by HarperCollins in 1992.

Customer Reviews

The definitive account
Simply stated this book is immense. An unbiased account of one the most important historical figures of South America. Not only does Anderson provide an in-depth biography of Guevara but he also delves into the history of the time thus we get first rate writing on Khrushchev, Castro, the nuclear missile crisis, the bay of pigs. Also gives a great insight into the world of international ambassador's and diplomats and inner workings of the U.N and other international bodies. A book that cannot be praised enough.

Truely Inspirational
I too did not know that much about Cuba or Che Guevara before reading this book. It was recommended to me by a work collegue as the best reference to his life on the market, and i wasnt dissapointed.
The attention to detail that the author shows is fantastic. It took me over 3 months to read, but i was glued the whole time, following Che as he developed his ideologies, his personality and his passion to make a difference for those people who are most exploited in this world.
But he doesn't shy away from contentious subjects such as the so called atrocities caried out by the Guerillas in their campaign or by Castro's regime following the revolutions victory in 59.
This book was a real eye opener to American foreign policy, especially in today's volitile global situation, and does nothing improve opinions on those in charge of the worlds largest military and economic power.
Whatever your opinion on Che, there isnt a doubt (in my mind) that this book shows him as someone, whose entire existence was devoted to helping the human race, something we can all aspire to.

A masterful portrayal of an extraordinary life
This is a brilliant biography of one of the most complex and compelling characters of the twentieth century. Che's life is dissected in great detail, from his asthmatic childhood to his murder in the Bolivian jungle at the age of 39.

Much that is written about Che is ideologically driven, trying to either deify or demonise the Argentine revolutionary. To his credit, Anderson succeeds in maintaining a rational approach to his subject, making this book readable to friends and foes of Che alike.

Che was the ultimate revolutionary icon of his era. Reading this book has given me some understanding of the man that existed behind the myth. Read it !!!